


A Taste of Familiarity

by seaofolives



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blind Ignis Scientia, Canon Compliant, Canon Disabled Character, Canon Era, Canon Universe, Gen, Holiday Fic Exchange, POV Ignis Scientia, World of Ruin (Final Fantasy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28650060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaofolives/pseuds/seaofolives
Summary: the news of a friendly visit gets ignis back into the kitchen despite his blindness
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Ignis Scientia
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10
Collections: FFXV Secret Santa 2020





	A Taste of Familiarity

**Author's Note:**

> happy holidays to @CosShark on twitter! im ur secret santa for #FFXVSS2020! hope you enjoy this! o/

He heard his heavy footsteps descending the narrow stairwell at the other side of the room, each one grounded like Titan trying to creep down the kitchen for a 3AM snack. If 3AM snacks were still a thing in this light-forsaken world. Still adjusting to a life of independence despite his loss of sight, Ignis felt himself holding his breath as he ran his brush over the steaming ham just under his nose. He _knew_ who his friend was but didn’t want to say for sure… “Damn. Smells like a Godsmas morning here.” 

When he heard that familiar thunder, Ignis allowed himself a little smile of triumph, laced _just_ a little with pride. He was right—it was Gladio, finally awake after a heavy sleep. Last night, he had come to crash in his and Cid Sophiar’s house following a hunt that had dragged on. “A little treat on an otherwise bleak holiday.” Everyone was saying they should still be celebrating, of course. Go on with life, live a little, don’t let the daemons get you down, et cetera, et cetera. And for the most part, Ignis agreed. They were still alive, somehow, still fighting and there was hope yet for as long as one still had breath. Et cetera, et cetera. 

He could not turn a blind eye, though, in many ways, to the losses they have sustained…and the greatest one yet they have waiting for them in the future. Back in the days of the light, when he could still see, a simple glazed ham would not have been allowed to touch his expensive spread until it was garnished and reinvented into something finer. These days, though, it was simply the way to go—how do you celebrate and mourn at the same time? 

“Been some time since I saw you work the oven. Now I’m glad Prompto insisted on hauling this thing all the way from Hammerhead.” Ignis kept his ears on the low thumps of Gladioʼs footfalls until he felt the man’s bulk just next to him, doubtless inspecting the slab of ham he was working on. “Need any help?” He didn’t. Well, technically, that is. He’d already counted the number of steps between the kitchen top, the old oven and the table at the back where he would sit and study his braille. He would have to make the round trip every ten minutes, barring any unfortunate accidents. 

Suffice it to say, things could be easier and safer. “Well, since you offered, I might as well take you up on that.” Ignis turned around and started counting the steps back to his table, hand out so he could catch the edge before he bruised himself on it. “Could you put the ham back in for me? Make sure to place it on the middle rack.” 

“Got it.” Gladio started moving. 

“We’ll need to bring it out again in 10 minutes. And perhaps you can take care of glazing it, as well.” 

“Leave it to me, Lord Strategist.” 

Ignis smiled. It was good to be back in familiar grounds, somehow. He and Gladio had known each other since they were children and had easily developed their own system. _Dependency_ never became their thing, and while _teamwork_ was part and parcel of their partnership, they easily became much more than two people relying on each other to do their jobs and pull their weight. They were a single unit, he and Gladio. Gladio provided the muscles that worked Ignis’ plans, as well as the mouthpiece and the backbone. 

Tonight, they were in a different battlefield, and this time Gladio became Ignis’ eyes and hands. He could rest easier now, concentrate better on his braille, knowing he could count on his friend. “So what’s with the ham?” Gladio asked as he pulled at the chair across him, letting it scrape gently over the old floor. It groaned again as Gladio nudged himself closer to the table, inch by inch. “We expecting guests tonight?” As Ignis said, they were a single unit. 

“Correct,” Ignis confirmed his guess. Gladio pulled the pitcher of water to his spot, pulled the lid open and began to fill his cup. “Just a small dinner with friends.” 

“Such as?” The pitcher made it back down the table. 

“Aranea and her boys are in town.” 

“Oooh,” Gladio said, his empty cup hitting the wood lightly. “You’re friends now, huh?” 

“Quite a number of things have happened in the past,” Ignis pointed out. “Even a hostile man like Ravus could turn his allegiance at the last minute. Besides, Aranea has never been completely on the side of the enemy.” 

“Sure means a lot that she ainʼt helpin’ the cause for money we donʼt have.” 

“I think her heart has always been in the right place,” Ignis agreed, pulling up his hands to brace his chin over their woven fingers. “She helped us secure Prompto and weaken the empire while she was at it. She also assisted in the evacuation of Gralea when the daemons became far too much. She is a good ally to have.” 

“A good friend, you mean.” 

Ignis smiled a little brighter. “Indeed.” He nodded to the ham baking in the oven. “So this is a little token of appreciation that is quite overdue.” 

“Ya sure you ainʼt just flexing? Your cooking’s always been impressive, Ignis, but cooking blind’s an entirely different level. Bet she’ll say the same.” 

“Please, it’s nothing special.” He used to say that a lot. It felt good to be saying it again. 

“Tell that to her when she hires you as her personal chef. Again.” Gladioʼs finger tapped the table twice. “Knowing her, she’ll accept this as your audition piece and ask you when you can start.” 

Ignis chuckled. “I will have to come up with a good answer, then.” He pulled himself back to rest comfortably on his hair, hands falling onto the textured pages of his braille, feeling the raised dots idly with his thumbs. “Seeing as, at least for the time being, I have no king to attend to.” He hadnʼt even dreamed of being Noctis’ personal chef, in the first place, if he hadnʼt thought it was needed. And fulfilling. These days, though, he hadnʼt been cooking much for anyone else but himself—until tonight. He had certainly forgotten about the joys of it until then. 

“You think you’ll go?” 

Ignis pulled his brows slightly together. “Hm?” 

“If she tells ya to come with her, you think you’ll go?” Gladio explained. 

Ignis hadn’t given it much thought until Gladio had proposed the possibility. Of traveling again, cooking for his comrades again. And then maybe soon, fighting again. He did miss the feel of his daggers in his hands, the weight against his arms as they cut or flew from his fingers. A kitchen knife did not always carry the same satisfaction. 

Ignis found himself entertaining a little smile as he crossed his arms, and shrugged. “Well, who knows?”

**Author's Note:**

> ngl i almost called this "a taste of hamiliarity" but decided to save the chaos some other time. anyway, i hope you liked it! o/


End file.
